It always leads Nowhere
by Gettinitallandthensome
Summary: He was the Prince expected to follow his fathers footsteps and she was just a memory to many now. AU w/Zuko & Toph assassins in the Avatar world. M for future chps.


His dreams were not that bad in the beginning. Fire could be found in all of them, a measly flame to the inferno that was his life. Worrying about how he should act in front of nobles, or an action that could easily embarrass and taint his fathers image as Fire Lord, or how he felt that the never ending competition of 'whose better' with Azula was going to get one of them killed one day. It was all just fuel to the inferno.

He thinks, as he lies in bed for the hundredth time (or maybe millionth) that it shouldn't have come as a surprise that the same Inferno that his life consisted of, was the same one that had control over many people. People from whole nations away were terrified of his family and what they could do if someone simply stepped out of line.

The fire nation was not known for kindness. His fathers soldiers had forcefully took over town after town in the Earth Kingdom and anywhere between, adding to the fear everyone felt when a red flag with a black fire emblem was seen on the horizon.

As it was now, the only nation that Fire Lord Ozai had left alone was the Watertribes to the North and South. "They're a waste of energy for the soldiers who fight to make this world a better place" was all that was said about it if a General ever dared to ask. "Why waste resources on a barbaric group of people? The Northern tribe has **nothing** for me! And the Southern tribe doesn't have their precious princess no more. She disappeared" he would snicker. Everyone would always stay silent afterwards, because that was what happened to anyone who defied the Fire Lord. They would disappear.

* * *

"Wake up Sparky! Rise and shine with the day! We got shit to do!…sadly."

The sheets that were covering his face weren't thick enough. The sun was way too bright and that voice was too loud for how hung over he was. He needed to drink more fire whiskey next time.

"I said wake up your highness!"

His face was suddenly squished against the tile floor in the bathroom and his bottom wasn't anywhere near where it had been a few seconds ago. Cracking the other eye open, he saw the green monstrosity that was yelling too much for his head to handle.

"Shut the hell up Toph. I'm not leaving my room" he manages to grumble out. Peeling himself off the floor certainly proves to be easier than he had first thought it would be. He walks over to his dresser, the glass on it still containing some whiskey thankfully. After drinking the rest of what he was told was the best whiskey in the Fire Nation, he tosses the glass by the girl who was now taking his spot on **his** bed.

"Geez, your attitude isn't appreciated. Look I just came over here because Azula said she would burn off my hair if I ever dare to drink that pink crap she drinks every morning again." He watches as she melds her bracelet into a long spike. "I don't wanna hurt the poor thing, and she doesn't like you so, here I am." The long spike pierces his robe hanging on the back of his door across the room, coming back just as quick and stopping in front of his face.

For a moment , he thinks about telling her to watch where she aims metal slash deadly weapon slash accessory. But Toph doesn't wear accessories, and looking at her from the corner of his eye, he sees' her head turned a bit in his direction. The faded out green of her eyes lights up when she hears him grumble about annoying earthbenders.

When he pushes it away, she jumps up and grabs it in her hand again, only to meld it back into a bracelet. There's a bit of hesitation, and something he thinks might be fear before he sees' anger in the way she clenches her jaw and tries to speak again.

"Zuko, can we just go and practice a bit outside at least? Your father wants to show me off again and I really want to try avoiding it. I'm not someones' charity case" she bites out. He could see her jaw clench again, only this time she turns away.

_No, she isn't a charity case_ he thinks. Maybe a pain in the ass sometimes but she isn't a charity case. He sighs as he walks over to the whiskey bottle on the floor by his bed. He shakes it a bit before he figures it's empty and the best thing he can do at this point is to get another bottle. He needs to leave his room for that.

"…I guess I can do that. Just ahhh! Give me a second!" The arm she punches him in is pulsing by the time she stands and walks over to the balcony in his room. He's about to tell her to get out because he needs to change and he really would rather do that in private.

"I can hear you grumbling. You're so prissy sometimes, it's not like I could see you." She emphasizes this with pulling at her eyelids. He really should get new friends. Not that he has many, but the thought is still there when he gets out the shower. And she is still sitting on the balcony, laughing every time she hears birds fly away from the mysterious rocks being thrown at them.

The sun is in the middle of the sky by the time Zuko is ready. He closes the door behind them, walking behind the girl as they make their way through the long open hallways. People exploring the public gardens look at her with distaste; their stares eventually landing on Zuko with a type of pity or maybe sympathy in their eyes. He doesn't like it.

He smiles as a graceful Prince should, waving now and then to people who greet him. How you present yourself is always important. How one greets another or speaks to another can make or break peoples' impression of you. "It's fine, Zuko. I really don't mind if they stare, they're idiots" is what Toph had told him when they first when out in public. They only stare for they believe her to be someone the Fire Lords' brother had taken pity on. Someone the Fire Lord himself had taken pity on and had allowed her to live in _his_ world of politics and palaces as a way of giving back to the community. The Fire Lord thought her as a wild animal. He believes he has done the public service for personally making sure she doesn't cause harm to anyone with her earthbending. The walks they take around or to the training field are always accompanied by peoples' stares and the scoffs. It's when people bash her, and look at her as though she is the royal familys' mut. It's times like these that Zuko is grateful she cannot see.

"Pay attention Idiot! Ha, I just smacked you in the head with a rock and you didn't even fire bend. What's wrong?"

Oh. They were supposed to be training. Right. "I was just thinking" he shakes his head. "My bad. Come on though, try it again!" This time when she moves her arms upwards and forwards, he's ready for the boulder that comes to knock him down and he blasts down the middle of it with fire. When she spins and comes up again with her arm slicing through the air, he isn't prepared for the ground that comes up and knocks him in the head backwards.

"Ehh, I think I still win." She's grinning above him and blocking out the sun from his eyes.

"Not. **Really**." he grunts with the sudden movement. His feet moving to kick her leave her on the ground momentarily surprised before she bursts into laughter. He hasn't laughed in a long time, so all he manages is a small smile that she can't see. He's pretty sure she can tell he's content though.

Her laughter suddenly stops; she presses her palms flat on the ground. "Ugh, you've gotta be kidding me. One of your fathers' bitc- Ow! Don't hit me! – is coming."

"They're called servants Toph."

"Yeah, well I'm named Toph and that doesn't stop everyone else from calling me an animal."

"…Good point." She hums in satisfaction as one of the servants comes running into the small field. The demand for his father to see him isn't a bit surprising. When the servants asks for Toph as well, he freezes. Her eyes don't tell much, but the way her hands tense and the ground she moves with it kind of gives her away.

"The Fire Lord says he has another job for you and the earthbender your highness." He's about to tell him to kindly tell his father they reject the job but the servant beats him to it. "He said it was of great importance that you see him immediately."

Toph hasn't said anything. Not that she has much say, but usually she would have said 'later' or something along that line. Zuko turns to her and sees' she is looking down. Her bangs hide her face, and she is slowly rubbing at the metal bracelet.

"We'll be right there" is what he answers instead of what he actually wanted to say. He has never been one to think things through and he hopes that by agreeing, maybe possibly, this time Toph could be free of the title everyone else has given her as an animal. He always asks his father this after a job; his father never pulls through.

The servant bows and quickly walks away back to the throne room. He puts his hand on her head, and flicks her in the ear when she doesn't respond. "Are you alright?"

She slowly looks up at him, and he sees' that she wasn't crying, but actually smiling a bit.

"…Does it make me bad person that I'm actually glad your father wants us to take out another idiot noble. It's the only way I get out of this place" she states quietly. He doesn't know how to respond to that. He doesn't think he's the right person to be answering a question like that, considering how many people his father had ordered them to kill simply because they did not agree with his vision of the world. Zuko has never liked lying before and he isn't going to start now.

"Maybe. But you just want to be free to go where you want like everyone else. I could relate to that."

Maybe he should be more careful about what he says out loud, but he figures he doesn't really care anymore when she let's out a breathe she was apparently holding. She stands and helps him when she shakes the dirt from her hair. The long walk from the field and through the gardens is spent discussing his advice on cutting said hair. It was too long already and she looked like an older woman with it.

"That's not what this Fire Nation boy told me last time I was earthbending in the gardens."

"Uh that's disgusting; I don't want to hear who you do on your free time."

"Get your head out of the gutter Sparky. I've got respect for myself." The servant passing by with a tray of food gasps at the scandal of Toph taking half of the food on there with her.

"Pfft. Yeah, ok respect" he states. The rest of the way is filled with the humming of a content earthbender and the occasional chirping of some birds outside. _The food must've filled her up and shut her up _he gladly thinks as they open the doors to the throne room. For obvious reasons, she was never a fan of his father and he really didn't want to witness her go crazy again after not being given enough food for a week. He remembers those nights were spent sneaking her some at midnight.

She slows down as they near the wall of fire at the other end of the room. Her spot beside him becomes empty as she falls back and walks behind him instead. The servant that had fetched them bows once quickly before leaving the room.

"I'm glad you two didn't take as long as I expected you to. It seems your learning from the wonderful Prince Zuko- Am I right earthbender?"

Zuko doesn't turn to acknowledge her. She says nothing but what he assumes to be a nod by the way his father smirks and the fire shines a bit brighter in front of them. They both kneel before the Fire Lord, the flames dying down as Zuko sees' his father begin to stand and descend from his place behind it.

"I really don't want to waste your time nor mine with useless information since you have done this before" Zuko hears his voice increase in volume as he comes to stand in front of them. "But I really wanted to see your face when I told you who. It's not just anyone who has the honor of being killed by the Fire Prince and the royal families pet." Distantly, he thinks he hears Tophs' heart speed up among the silence of the rest of the room. His father calls his name, and Zuko finds himself looking up despite the voice in his head telling him to refuse or turn away. The voice eerily sounds like his mothers'.

"Do you remember the Princess of the Southern Watertribe?" his father is kneeling before him, that same smirk making it's presence known on his face and he feels his heart stuttering; maybe stopping. "It seems our little Katara isn't as dead as I had thought her out to be. I want you to pay her a little visit for me."

* * *

That night when he dreams, the fire that had started as a small flame within them, bursts into a fury of flames. The Inferno he thought he could escape in his dreams was never possible. All the fire was missing was fuel for it to rise into an uncontrollable mess. It begins to burn away everything in his reality.

* * *

**Yep, this has been in my head a while and I finally got out to writing it. Caged in actually came out of this little AU universe but I think my writing has approved since then thank ;_; (I still cannot grammer though) but anyways I hope you guys like it and join me on this adventure of assassin Zuko and Toph and Katara bloodbending and saving the world avatar style.**

**-Getty**


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